What is an AYA Delegate?

An AYA Delegate is a Yale degree-holder who represents an alumni constituency recognized by the AYA Constitution. There are two types:

AYA Delegates (also referred to as “appointed delegates” or just “delegates”) are appointed by their constituencies — Yale College classes, regional Yale Clubs, alumni associations of Yale’s graduate and professional schools, and selected shared interest/identity groups (SIGs) — to represent them at the Assembly. This group also includes At-Large Delegates, appointed by the AYA to represent alumni outside these constituencies. Delegate offices are for a fixed 3-year term, starting on July 1st and ending on June 30th.

Ex-officio delegates serve for the duration of their service in a recognized volunteer leadership position as defined by the AYA Constitution, such as Class Secretary, Yale Club President, chair of a graduate or professional school alumni association, chair of a selected SIG, etc.

What are a Delegate’s responsibilities?

Delegates attend the Assembly on campus in November. As representatives of their constituencies, they are charged with raising questions and concerns from their fellow alumni at appropriate Assembly sessions, then reporting back to their constituencies afterward on what they have learned.

The AYA hopes that delegates will be inspired to engage more deeply with alumni initiatives by attending the Assembly.

Who can be a Delegate?

Degree-holding alumni of any Yale school are eligible. Once an alum has served a full three-year term as an appointed delegate, he or she is not eligible to be re-appointed as a delegate from any constituency — even a different one — until three more years have passed. If a delegate is filling out someone else’s term or for some other reason has not served a full three-year term, he or she is eligible for re-nomination to a consecutive term.

Who should be a Delegate?

Assemblies are the preeminent leadership information and development programs for alumni in which both the AYA and the university invest significant resources. Ideally, appointed delegates for a constituency are those individuals who occupy, have occupied, or have the potential to occupy volunteer leadership positions for Yale. However, other constituency members who are willing to come to New Haven once a year and who have demonstrated a commitment to their constituency and to Yale can also be strong delegates.

As a representative alumni group, the Assembly is optimally a diverse group of individuals in terms of age, gender, race, occupation and geographic location.

May I bring a guest to the Assembly?

How should I prepare for the Assembly?

This AYA website contains a wealth of background information that will help you prepare for Assembly as a delegate. Start here to find a short history of the AYA, the AYA Constitution, and information about the AYA’s strategic plan. By reading the strategic plan in advance, you will come to New Haven with an excellent overview of where the AYA is heading.

What should I do during the Assembly?

First-time delegates should register for the First-Time Delegate Lunch on Thursday, the first day. This lunch is both a working orientation and an opportunity to meet members of the AYA’s Board of Governors.

On Friday, there are breakout sessions tailored to all types of delegates with leadership meetings for clubs, classes, shared interest/identity groups, and graduate and professional school alumni, as well as sessions highlighting new programs. Take notes, collect handouts, ask questions! These are opportunities to discuss best practices with your peers and should not be missed.

Most important, spend some time getting to know other delegates, AYA staff members, and members of the AYA Board of Governors. The AYA leadership is eager to meet you and help you fulfill your goals during your term as an AYA delegate.

What should I do after the Assembly?

Delegates are expected to report back to their constituencies on what they have learned, both about Yale in general and about specific ideas and strategies that may help in their work with alumni groups. This reporting can be done either in person, through an e-mail communication, or in a blog-style post on your constituency’s website.

Beyond reporting back to your constituency, we hope you will use the Assembly as a launching pad for additional or deeper volunteer activity. Delegates are chosen in part for their leadership potential, and the AYA strongly encourages delegates to help their constituent group broaden its programming using the knowledge they have gained and the contacts they have made at the Assembly. The AYA would also encourage you to branch out into new ventures which may or may not be related to your constituency.

What if I can’t attend the Assembly?

In the event that an appointed delegate cannot attend an Assembly for some reason, his/her constituency should appoint an Alternate Delegate for that year, and then let the AYA know who that person is at the earliest possible date so that we may send him/her an official invitation to register.

Ex-officio delegates, who attend solely by virtue of their own current service in an AYA-recognized volunteer leadership role, may not appoint substitutes for themselves if they find they cannot attend.

How can I get more involved?

The list of AYA initiatives is large and constantly growing. This website lists the names and contact information for class, club, SIG, and graduate and professional school alumni leaders, as well as organizers for program initiatives such as the Yale Alumni Service Corps; Careers, Life and Yale; and the Yale Day of Service. You will also find the names and contact information for key AYA staff online. All these people welcome your ideas and your talents. The opportunities are vast for those who wish to be volunteer leaders.

In addition, serving on the AYA Board of Governors offers a wonderful opportunity to continue a delegate’s volunteer engagement. Those who would like to know more about service on the Board will have an opportunity to do so during one of the “Information Session” breakouts on Friday. Delegates in the second or third year of their terms who think they might be interested in Board service are especially encouraged to attend.